Non-floating beverage package



June 21, 1966 M. KASKET NON-FLOATING BEVERAGE PACKAGE Filed June 5. 1962 IN VENTOR. Mm eor Mas/ er United States Patent 3,257,212 NON-FLOATING BEVERAGE PACKAGE Margot Kasket, 890 West End Ave., New York, N.Y. Filed June 5, 1962, Ser. No. 200,266 2 Claims. (Cl. 9-77.1)

, This invention relates to beverage packages and in particular to a beverage package possessing non-floating characteristics.

In recent years there has been an increasing use of the so-called instant beverages and broths. The preparation of these beverages or broths is obtained by the infusion of the powdered, granulated, shredded substance in a soluble base, usually water. It is common, therefore, to prepare tea by immersion of a porous bag filled with tea leaves into -a cup of hot water. The same principle is applicable to other packaged beverages, e.g., bags containing coffee or tea (with or without powdered cream and sugar), bouillon broth, powdered cocoa preparations and the like. It is known to attach rigid members to the infusion bags to eliminate the need for a separate spoon or muddler or to use it as a retraction member in the place of a string. However, since the bags themselves have a tendency to rise up in the cup due to captured air bubbles and the light density of the materials within the bag, and since the disposable handles are ordinarily made of a light material such as cardboard, wood or plastic, they too float or rise to the surface of the liquid, thus preventing effective infusion of the beverage in the soluble base.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a beverage package which 'will remain fully immersed in the infusion liquid and resist any tendency to float.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a beverage package with a liquid pocket to prevent floating thereof.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a beverage package with a weighted handle to prevent floating thereof.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide a beverage package which is attached to a handle in a manner which provides infusion of the soluble base liquid on all sides of the package.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a beverage pack-age of the type described with increased infusion area.

Referring now to the drawings:

FIG. *1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the package taken along the lines 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the package taken along the lines 33 of FIG. 1, and is also common to the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 showing a liquid pocket according to the invention; and

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the package accord- ,ing to yet another embodiment of the invention.

ber 10. The pouch is provided with an opening or slot 11 located generally on the end to which the envelope 6 is attached. It is preferable to have the opening in proximity to the top edge 8 of the envelope 6.

The envelope 6 is preferably made of the generally available porous paper mats or felts which are permeable to water but which otherwise retain the dry powdered or mulched ingredients A. However, porous plastics can be used for certain granulated or powdered substances.

The pouch 7 can be made of any of the common variety of flexible film plastics. However, it is preferable to use films that are impervious to hot water and do not leave themselves any taste to the beverage. For these purposes a plastic is preferred, it being both utilitarian and economically priced and also provides a pleasing feeling to the human touch. The stick 10, which serves as a handle and muddler, may be any convenient and inexpensive rigid material which is non-toxic and insoluble in water, e.g., wood, cardboard and certain plastics such as polystyrene.

When the package is placed in a cup of liquid B, as shown in FIG. 4, the liquid enters the opening 11 provided in the pouch 7 and generally fills the same, thus forming a liquid pocket 12 therein. This pocket of liquid 12, because of the weight of the liquid within and above it, resists the tendency of the envelope 6 or the stick 1% to float, thus keeping the envelope well immersed in the liquid for maximum infusion.

The infusion rate is also increased by permitting the liquid B to flow through the opening 16 between the body of the pouch and the envelope. This is permitted since the pouch is attached to the envelope as by gluing, stapling or thermal sealing, only at the opposing edges 8 and 9.

A separate embodiment is shown in FIG. 5. A weight 13 is placed in the bottom or end 14 of the pouch 7 or integrally attached to the bottom of the stick 10. This weight may be of any non-toxic, water-insoluble substance which is relatively more dense than water, such as steel, nickel and the like. Under some conditions such embodiment may dispense with the water pocket (as shown), or may be'in addition to it. The weight may be attached by any of the heat-resistant adhesives, or may be held in place by placing a stopper in the stick 10 just above the top-most edge of the weight 13. A staple will sutfice. The weight may also be imbedded in a notch provided therefor in the stick 10.

Although it is not essential that the device of FIG. 5 have the pouch 7, it being also permissible to attach the envelope 6 or weight 113 to the stick 10, it is preferred ,to provide the outer pouch since some materials which are useful for the stick 10 (such as wood) often times lend disagreeable taste to hot drinks. Also, it is preferable that the weight 13 not come into direct contact with the beverage liquid.

The above described device makes an economical disposable beverage package which is easy and convenient to use.

While I have described and shown different forms of the invention, it will be understood that this is primarily for the purpose of illustrating the principle involved, and is by no means a limitation of the scope thereof.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim is:

1. A non-floating disposable beverage package adapted to be immersed in a liquid comprising a porous envelope 3 containing beverage material capable of being infused into the liquid, an elongated flexible pouch having a rigid stick enclosed therewithin forming a handle means, and said pouch having'an opening therein adapted to permit the liquid to enter said pouch and form a liquid pocket therein, said envelope being attached to said pouch near one end thereof.

2. The disposable beverage package of claim 1 wherein said pouch and said envelope are arranged side-by-side and said elongated pouch is attached to said envelope .at opposite edges thereof, whereby the infusing liquid may freely pass between the body of said envelope and said pouch.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,291,278 7/1942 Cleaves 9977.1 2,291,702 8/1942 DOWnes 99--77.1 2,678,000 5/1954 Scheidt 9977.l 2,791,505 5/ 1957 Barnett 99-77.1

FOREIGN PATENTS 323,436 1/1930 Great Britain.

A. LOUIS MONACELL, Primary Examiner. ABRAHAM H. WINKELSTEIN, Examiner.

R. N. JONES, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A NON-FLOATING DISPOSABLE BEVERAGE PACKAGE ADAPTED TO BE IMMERSED IN A LIQUID COMPRISING A POROUS ENVELOPE CONTAINING BEVERAGE MATERIAL CAPABLE OF BEING INFUSED INTO THE LIQUID, AN ELONGATED FLEXIBLE POUCH HAVING A RIGID STICK ENCLOSED THEREWITHIN FORMING A HANDLE MEANS, AND SAID POUCH HAVING AN OPENING THEREIN ADAPTED TO PERMIT THE LIQUID TO ENTER SAID POUCH AND FORRM A LIQUID POCKET THEREIN 